CLEVELAND and WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cleveland Clinic and Candescent Health have formed a multi-year partnership aimed at transforming radiology care, with a goal to improve healthcare value through defined quality standards, enhanced workflow processes and the creation of an efficient, nationwide cloud-based radiology network.

As part of this new collaboration, Cleveland Clinic will assist Candescent Health in developing new, clinically focused products that will improve the productivity, efficiency and diagnostic performance of radiology practices nationwide. Working together, Candescent Health's state-of-the-art technology will expand the reach of Cleveland Clinic's advanced radiology services to other health systems across the country. Additionally, Cleveland Clinic has the opportunity to make an equity investment in Candescent Health in the future. 

"The healthcare model of the future requires that we find better, more efficient ways to provide services," said Toby Cosgrove, M.D., President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic. "That will only happen through technological advances that lower costs, drive efficiencies and allow doctors to put patients first. This partnership will help the radiology community improve quality and productivity by expanding technology and clinical expertise to health systems throughout the country."

Radiology touches nearly every facet of healthcare, including patient safety, physician referrals and multiple diseases and conditions through the use of x-rays, CT scans (Computed Tomography), MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), ultrasound, radiation therapy and other procedures.

With more than 177 radiologists conducting some 2.3 million studies annually, including the full range of subspecialist capabilities, Cleveland Clinic already is one of the nation's top five radiology providers. 

"We are thrilled to be working with a healthcare innovator and leader like Cleveland Clinic to accelerate what we believe is an essential shift in the radiology care model that drives greater healthcare value on a nationwide basis," said Scott P. Seidelmann, Founder and CEO of Candescent Health. "Cleveland Clinic not only has the foresight to understand that radiology is undergoing significant change, but is willing to lead radiology through that crucial transformation. This fundamental reengineering of the radiology care model will have an enormous positive impact on patients, referring providers and healthcare systems overall."

Candescent Health's RadPerform was conceived and designed by veteran radiologists to manage one of the nation's largest multi-location practices for more than a decade. RadPerform includes three integrated components:

• A cloud-based and data/rules-driven workflow, including smart work-lists, targeted routing, schedule management, and quality-management.
• 24 x 7 case and workflow monitoring and radiologist support to expedite cases and communications, ensuring that daily, operational goals are met.
• Ongoing performance analytics with specific recommendations for how to adjust operations to satisfy desired KPIs.

"Through this sophisticated workflow system, radiologists will be able to streamline and eliminate administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on patient care and the clinical work we were all trained to do," said Michael Phillips, M.D., Director, Center for Business Development, Imaging Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

About Candescent Health
Candescent Health's mission is to make healthcare dramatically more efficient and effective by enabling and empowering the providers who are transforming healthcare, starting with radiology. Based on a decade of operating one of the nation's largest multi-practice radiology groups, Candescent Health has reengineered clinical and workflow processes to fundamentally transform the radiology care delivery model and enable radiologists to improve quality, increase productivity and lower costs. Headquartered in the Boston area and with a major operations center in Cleveland, Candescent Health is backed by leading venture capital firms. For more information, visit www.CandescentHealth.com.

About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. More than 3,000 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 11,000 nurses represent 120 medical specialties and subspecialties. The Cleveland Clinic health system includes a main campus near downtown Cleveland, eight regional hospitals, more than 75 Northern Ohio outpatient locations, including 16 full-service Family Health Centers, Cleveland Clinic Florida, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Cleveland Clinic Canada, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In 2013, there were 5.5 million outpatient visits throughout the Cleveland Clinic health system and 157,000 hospital admissions. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 130 countries. Visit us at www.clevelandclinic.org.